Tag: stories

March 4, 2019- Awesome video to share with you today! Filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Toy Story,” “WALL-E”) shares what he knows about storytelling. Clue 1- starting at the end and working back to the beginning. (Contains graphic language …) Enjoy!

October 29, 2018– I’m happy to say that I’ve been published in various magazine publications dozens of times over the years. It’s pretty cool to see your story on the magazine rack and know that it’s going to be circulated to hundreds of thousands of readers! If you want to be successful, look at your work through the eyes of a magazine editor. Here are some things to keep in mind before you submit to your favourite mag:

Does the story I’ve written belong in this magazine? I know that this seems painfully obvious, but a magazine about cooking is probably not interested in an article about construction sites. Check out what the magazine has printed in the last couple of years to know if what you’re writing about works for them. If you can’t find out if your idea would work or not, just go ahead and submit, what’s the worst that could happen?

Have they done a story similar to this before? And if they have, how recent was it? If it’s too recent, you’re wasting your time, and it would be better to set your sights on a different topic. If it’s been long enough, at least make an effort to put a fresh spin on things!

Do you know what sells? If you thumb through any magazine on your coffee or end table right now, I can just about guarantee that there’s a diet story in every issue, especially if it’s any type of magazine for women. Why? Because that’s what sells. If you know your market and what sells, you have a better chance of being published, because what you’re writing about, sells copies! Do your research before you submit.

I hope that you get the chance to write a piece for your favourite magazine, it’s so much fun and I think it’s a pretty cool experience to work towards!
X LLB

October 19, 2018– When I wrote Obsessed with Her, I knew exactly how it was going to end, and I also knew that there was going to be a prequel. A prequel yes, a sequel no. Lacey, what the hell are you talking about? Ok, let me back up for a second.

A prequel, as you know, is a story that precedes that of a previous work. It’s a story that comes before a story, but it doesn’t need to be written or released before the original. Does this make sense? Whereas, a sequel is something that comes after the original work and is only published after the first book or movie comes out.

When I wrote Obsessed with Her, I deliberately left out a bunch of information. Not so much that the reader would have a bunch of loose ends and questions floating around, and not so much that the book would be unfinished, but enough that there would be room for a prequel. I decided on this method because it was imperative that I told the story in this way. I began with the end in mind and chose to tell it in such a way because it matters to the plot and the development of characters. That being said, the prequel to Obsessed with Her is a story in its own right, it doesn’t just fill in the gaps. The prequel allows readers to pick up either book in whatever order and have a full, edge of their seat story that can stand alone…the prequel just makes it that much better.

Prequels, when done correctly, do the following things:

They preserve the original material. Both stories should fit smoothly together.

They resolve unanswered questions. A character’s backstory can allow questions to be answered as to why they are who they are and why they act in such a way now.

They tell us something that we don’t already know. Prequels shake up the way the readers view the original characters.

I hope that you’ll take the time to read both books, Obsessed with Herand Becoming James Cass (coming winter 2020). And I hope that you’ll consider writing a prequel to your book.

August 31, 2018- Oh. My. Goodness. You have got to be kidding me! Agatha Christie apparently had SECRET Notebooks. This book, by John Curran, lifts the lid on Agatha Christie’s writing and unearths two Poirot stories never before seen. WOW! Watch below.

December 1, 2017- I absolutely love coming across new writing prompts. Not only does it help writers sharpen their skills, but it also allows us to write about things that we may not normally write about. There are different types of writing prompts and here are a few examples below. Try a couple of these per day!

October 12, 2017- Today is the day; We’ll be seeing you at the Binbrook Fairgrounds and boy, do we have some awesome treats to give away! Visit our Pandamonium Publishing House Booth to meet author Tamara Botting of Unfrogged and Duncan from Deer Diary who will both be signing copies of their books. The fun starts at 5:00 pm and goes until 9:00 pm. Enter our Spooktacular draw for an awesome prize just in time for Halloween! See you tonight!

Are you having trouble knowing what to say and how to say it? Do you need help with organizing your thoughts, words, and ideas? You’ve come to the right place, we make writing easy and take away all of the guesswork.